THE LAWS OF EUCHRE
Adopted by the Somerset Club of Boston
March 1, 1888

Written by: H. C. Leeds + James Dwight

Section 3

THE REVOKE.

62. Is when a player, holding one or
more cards of the suit led, plays a card of
a different suit.

63. The penalty of a revoke is three
points, except in the case of a lone hand,
when it is five; and the penalty may be
claimed as often as the revoke is repeated
in the hand.

64. A revoke is established if the trick
in which it occurs be turned and quitted;
or if the revoking player or his partner,
whether in his right turn or otherwise,
lead or play to the following trick.

65. A player may ask his partner
whether he has not a card of the suit
renounced. Should the question be asked
before the trick be turned and quitted,
subsequent turning and quitting does not
establish the revoke, and the error may
be corrected, unless the question be answered
in the negative, or unless the revoking
player or his partner have led or
played to the following trick.

66. At the end of the hand the claimants
of a revoke may search all the tricks.

67. Should a revoke be claimed, and the
accused player or his partner mix the
cards before they have been sufficiently
examined by the adversaries, the revoke
is established.

68. A revoke cannot be claimed after
the cards are cut for the next deal.

69. If a player discover his mistake in
time to save a revoke, the adversaries
may call the card played in error. Any
player or players who have played after
him, except his partner, may withdraw
their cards and substitute others; the
cards so withdrawn are not liable to be
called.

70. A revoking player and his partner
may require the hand on which the revoke
occurred to be played out.

71. An equal number of revokes on
different sides cancel each other.

CALLING FOR NEW CARDS.

72. Any player (on paying for them)
before, but not after, the pack is cut for
the deal, may call for fresh cards. He must
call for two new packs, of which the dealer
has the choice.

73. A card or cards torn or marked must
be replaced by agreement, or new cards
called for at the expense of the table.

MAKING THE TRUMP AND PLAYING.

74. The trump card having been turned,
the eldest hand may pass, order up, or play
alone; in either of the last two cases the
third hand may take it from him and play
alone.

75. Should the eldest hand pass, the
second hand may pass, assist, or play
alone; in either of the last two cases the
dealer may take it from him and play alone.

76. Should the second hand pass, the
third hand can pass, order up, or play
alone; and after him the dealer must pass,
take up the trump, or play alone.

77. Should all four players pass, the
trump is turned down, and the first hand
can name a suit, or pass; and so on in turn
around the table. Should all pass again, the
deal is at an end, and the next player deals.

78. Should the player entitled to make
a trump name a suit, he cannot change;
and should he name the suit turned down,
he is considered to have passed.

79. Should the player, after naming the
suit turned down, or passing, mention the
suit he intended to make trumps, his partner
also must pass.

80. Should a player pass, and then attempt
to assist, or order up the trump, his
partner also must pass. The adversaries,
however, may elect that it shall be played.

81. Should a player make a declaration,
and his partner not hear it and pass, the
declaration is not invalidated.

82. No player can take away another's
right by passing, ordering up, or assisting,
out of turn; but should the dealer turn
down the trump card, or on the second
round throw his cards on the table, such
action is binding on his partner.

83. If any one, prior to his partner's
playing, should call attention to the trick
either by saying that it is or is not his, or
by naming his card or by drawing it without
being asked to do so, or call on his partner
to take or not to take the trick, the adversaries
may require that opponent's partner
to play his highest or lowest of the
suit led, or to win or lose the trick.

84. A player has no right to ask who
played a particular card, but at any time
during the play of a trick, or after the four
cards are played, but before they are
touched for the purpose of gathering them
together, may demand that the cards be
placed before their respective players.

85. When a player and his partner have
an option of exacting from their adversaries
one of two penalties, they should agree who
is to make the election, but must not
consult with one another which of the two
penalties it is advisable to exact. If they
do so consult, they lose their right; and
if either of them, with or without the consent
of his partner, demand a penalty to
which he is entitled, such decision is final.

THE DISCARD.

86. Should the card turned up be made
the trump, the dealer must at once discard
one card from his hand. The discard is
not complete until the dealer has placed
the card under the pack and quitted it;
after which he cannot change.

87. Should the eldest hand lead before
the discard is completed, the lead stands,
and the dealer can change his discard if
he wishes.

88. The trump card cannot be discarded.

89. Should the third hand play alone,
and the second player lead before the
dealer has discarded, the latter can be
called on to play his highest or lowest
of the suit led, or to win or lose the
trick.

90. Should any player have more or
less than five cards, or the dealer neglect
to discard before playing, the deal holds
good, and the party so offending forfeits
two if all four are playing, and four if a
lone hand is played. They also are not
entitled to score any point or points they
may have made on that hand.

THE TRUMP CARD.

91. The trump card must be left in view
till played, and if removed or lifted from
the pack, becomes an exposed card.

92. After the trump card has been
played, no player has a right to ask what
card was turned up, but can at any time
ask what is the trump suit.

PLAYING ALONE.

93. A player may play alone when he
orders up, assists, adopts, or makes the
trump, or when his partner does so, provided
that he himself has not already
passed.

94. If a player declares to play alone,
his partner may take it from him, subject
to the previous rule; in which case the
form of declaration must be, “I take it
from you.”

95. A player cannot play alone when he
or his partner is ordered up, or when his
adversaries adopt or make the trump, or
if before making his declaration he exposes
a card.

96. The dealer must announce his intention
to play alone before quitting his
discard.

97. A player must announce his intention
to play alone before naming the trump,
otherwise he can be required to play the
hand with his partner.

98. In all cases a single declaration
must be made. It is not permitted to say,
“I order it up and play it alone,” or “I make
it hearts and play it alone.” The declaration
must be, “I play alone at hearts,”
or, “Alone at hearts.” Any other declaration
precludes a lone hand.

99. Should the partner of the player
playing alone offer to take it from him
after a lead has been made, or after he has
himself passed, neither can play alone.

100. Should a player announce that he
will play alone, and his partner play upon
the first lead, the player loses his right to
play the hand alone, and must play it with
his partner, unless his adversaries elect
that he play it alone.

101. Should a player announce that he
will play alone, his partner must place his
own cards on the table face downwards, and
not again take them up. He shall have the
right to gather and quit his partner's tricks,
and his action is binding on his partner.

102. Should a player expose the face of
any of his cards, his partner can score only
two points, should he take every trick; but
in case of a euchre the adversaries score
four.

103. After the partner of the lone player
has placed his hand on the table, either
adversary may count the hand, to see if it
contains more or less than five cards.

104. A player playing alone is liable to
no penalty for simply exposing a card; but
should he lead out of turn, the card is an
exposed card, and can be called.

105. Should an adversary play out of
turn to the lead of a lone hand, both
opposing hands must be laid on the table,
and can be called by the player playing
alone.

Don Bunnis the creator of
OhioEuchre.Com.
As a self-proclaimed Euchre authority, Don is involved in teaching Euchre along with the promotion and operation of Euchre tournaments.He can be reached at info@OhioEuchre.Com